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Ben Hamilton: Fighting the bite!
Ben Hamilton spends his day thinking about all sorts of animals — birds, insects, and rodents. He has always liked animals; that’s why his job is such a good fit. Ben works in the Department of Health’s Zoonotic Disease program. Zoonotic diseases are illnesses that originate in animals and can be passed to people — including hantavirus, salmonellosis, and rabies. The program works with local health partners and others to monitor and track diseases such as West Nile virus. Much of Ben’s work focuses on West Nile virus, which people can contract after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The virus was first detected in Washington in 2002 — the same year Ben came to the Department of Health. As editor of the Zoonotic Disease Newsletter, Ben helps keep our state and local partners informed about zoonotic diseases. He’s watched trends in other states as West Nile virus spread across the country after the first detection on the East Coast in 1999. West Nile virus has been detected in birds, horses, and mosquitoes in our state periodically over the past five years. Last year, was the first time Washington had human illness caused by the virus. There were three cases in our state. However, it was much worse in neighboring Idaho with nearly 1,000 cases and more than a dozen deaths from West Nile virus. Ben expects a busy West Nile virus season. "The virus is just now establishing itself in Washington. Looking at trends from other states, the next few years will likely be the most intense in terms of the number of infections," according to Ben. His advice is simple: empty standing water around your home; make sure you have good screen on doors and windows; wear an effective mosquito repellent; and if you are out at dawn or dusk, wear long sleeves and long pants. |
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